Roelf Meyer rejects claims of white genocide in South Africa

South African Ambassador to the United States, Roelf Meyer, has rejected claims of a ‘white genocide’ occurring in South Africa. Meyer, an Afrikaner and former negotiator during the post-apartheid transition, stated that mass attacks on the white minority do not exist, noting that while violent crime is a concern, national homicide statistics show that victims are overwhelmingly black South Africans.

This rejection aligns with recent polling from the Institute of Race Relations (IRR), which found that 72% of South Africans disagree with the white genocide narrative. The polling also indicated that 70% of respondents believe the government should stop using apartheid-era racial categories to determine access to jobs and business opportunities.

The diplomatic tension follows the establishment of an Afrikaner resettlement scheme by U.S. President Donald Trump, which has allocated $500 million to admit up to 17,500 Afrikaners by fiscal year 2027. South African officials have criticized the program, with International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola referring to it as ‘Apartheid 2.0’. Bilateral relations remain strained following visa restrictions imposed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.